The Inter-American Development Bank will host on June 14 and 15 a roundtable for Central American ministers on the challenges and opportunities posed by future negotiations for a free trade agreement between Central America and the United States.
The event organized by the IDB’s Integration and Regional Programs Department will bring together high-level officials from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; diplomats and experts who played key roles in trade negotiations for Argentina, Chile, Jordan, Mexico and the United States; leading academics and delegates from the WTO, UNCTAD, ECLAC, OAS, USAID, CIDA and the World Bank.
Among other issues, participants will discuss Central America’s level of preparation for negotiations, the macroeconomic implications of a free trade agreement between Central American nations and their biggest trade partner and main source of foreign direct investment; other developing countries’ experiences in negotiating trade accords with the United States and the influence of farm subsidies on international trade.
Central American ministers and IDB President Enrique V. Iglesias will hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, June 14 on the prospects for a free trade agreement between Central America and the United States. The conference will take place in the Cecilio Morales meeting room on the 12th floor of IDB headquarters, 1300 New York Ave, NW.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Amb. Peter Allgeier will be the speaker at a Friday night dinner hosted by President Iglesias.